Impending Battle
by Becky Sharpe
Summary: After defeating the Goblin King, Sarah knew that it was only a matter of time that they would meet again. Now, embarked on a task stemmed from a foolish wish, Sarah steps into her role of protector.
1. A Battle Won

**Impending Battle**  
  
DISCLAIMER: I own nothing from Jim Henson's Labyrinth. All other characters and story line are my own.  
  
A Battle Won  
  
...but not the war.  
  
A white owl sat on a perch, staring coldly into an upper story window of an old Victorian house. The windows were illuminating a scene that made his blood scream for revenge. How dare she defy him! How dare his subjects associate themselves with that mortal! She, she who turned them all into her _friends_, he sneered. Every single subject that was ordered to hinder her process (save for the Helping Hands who couldn't come for obvious reasons) was Aboveground celebrating with her. This was clear grounds for treason, he thought as he suddenly took flight in the night sky.  
  
"We will meet again, Miss Sarah Williams. Mark my words: we will meet again," Jareth vowed as he flew through the veils between the worlds towards his now dilapidated castle.  
  
Soon after returning home, Sarah and her Underground friends partied for a time and enjoyed everyone's company. Their arrival was the evidence she needed to convince herself that the Labyrinth was real indeed. But their fun and games were soon cut short. She and Sir Didymus was playing a game of "Scrabble" when suddenly, the room went quiet. Looking up, she saw that Hoggle was suddenly very pale and Sarah rushed to his side.  
  
"Hoggle! What's wrong?" asked Sarah, wondering if he was ill and looking anxiously around at all the faces in the room that were filled with fear. But Hoggle did not answer and started to shake down to his boots.  
  
"My Lady," said Sir Didymus, "it appears that we all are being summoned by the king." Slowly and reluctantly, the various citizens from the Underground started to disappear leaving her three companions: Hoggle, Sir Didymus and Ludo.  
  
"No!" shouted Sarah as she reached out to her friends and wrapped them in a death-defying hug. "Why? Why do you have to go?" asked Sarah still clutching her friends. "Will he hurt you?"  
  
"That is unknown to us, fair maiden," said the chivalrous fox, "But ho! What a quest this was!" Stepping out of her grasp and sobering for a bit, he continued, "One should not fear danger, my lady, for meetings such as these all end sometime. Each of us fulfilled our duty and now we embark on another journey" And with that, the gallent fox bowed, and disappeared.  
  
Ludo too, then stepped away from Sarah's embrace and waved a sad goodbye. As he disappeared, Sarah heard his final words: "Sawah, friend."  
  
The last to go or course was her first friend in the Labyrinth, Hoggle.  
  
Shaking himself, Hoggle patted Sarah on her shoulder as she started to weep. "Now, now missy, this ain't no time to cry. Yous gotta be strong, see? Yous the first to get to the center of the Labyrinth and it cost Jareth his pride. We knews the consequences goin' in and we chose. Of course there's a possibility that he won't do nothing so don't worry, ya hear?"  
  
Steeling herself, Sarah nodded and let her friend go. And with a gruff nod, he too, disappeared.  
  
After that fateful night, Sarah Williams knew that it was only a matter of time. Her friends never returned her calls when she tried many nights later. This led her to conclude that either the portal was closed to them or something happened. Sarah sighed. Another confrontation was now inevitable with the defeated the Goblin King, that she was sure of. But the big question was when. Time was plainly of the essence in a world that never tolled the hour of the remaining falling sands. Her only choice in the matter was to prepare herself and if need be, to protect her baby brother for the rest of his days. How she was going to do this, Sarah wasn't exactly sure, but she was resolved to find a way.  
  
"When there's a Will, there's a way" quoted Sarah, grinned wryly at the motto her dad always spouted when the goings got tough. 


	2. The Williams' Way

** The William's Way  
  
DISCLAIMER**: Anything taken from "Labyrinth" are strictly Jim Henson's and therefore are certainly not my own.

There was no more time to waste. Already she had wasted several days trying to contact her friends through the mirror portal. It was now time to get to work.  
  
Over the next few months, Sarah traded in all her dreams for a new one: the safety of Toby. It wasn't rocket science to figure out that Jareth would use "her weakness"  
against her. But little did Jareth know that that was the flaw in Jareth's strategy. Really, it was quite the opposite. Her so-called, "weakness" was really her strength: her brother and his welfare. She only hoped that he would a) be so blinded by his anger that he wouldn't be able to even contemplate an alternative or b) simply let her off the hook and leave her a lone. Although "b" was a much nicer concept, Sarah wouldn't hold her breath. Call it whatever you will but her intuition told her that she must prepare.Toby. It all started with him and must end with him. Poor Kid. He, who is just happened to be the accidental bystander. Used by all as a tool, as leverage.  
  
First used by Karenas a reason for going out with only her husband; stating that she needed some time to be herself other than "Mother". Used again by Sarah as a reason for her lack of "me" time. And finally, used by Jareth twice. The first time was as a ultimatum forSarah to run the Labyrinth and the second time, she knew that Jareth would use him again against her- but this time to hurt her not teach her.  
  
Her Dad and Karen weren't mystified by her sudden changes. They figured that they'd just chalk it up to the realization of adulthood looming on the horizon and count their blessings.  
In fact, as they recalled, there was a short period of time when all Sarah did was stay at home and openly volunteered to take care of Toby every waking moment. Those moments when she wasn't watching Toby, she'd hide away in her room staring at her vanity mirror and brood. When this was a little too much for Karen, she insisted to her husband that this wasn't healthy. Upon hearing her step-mother listing these new grievances against Sarah, Sarah knew that the wait was over. She stayed up all night brainstorming, planning, and projecting.  
  
Come morning, she had a game plan and it was time to put them into motion. As soon as her parents came down stairs for breakfast, she asked for an audience in the living room. Thinking this would be another set of theatrics; Dad and Karen braced themselves and reluctantly agreed. After all, it was time for another "it's not fair" outburst. But they were relatively surprised by what Sarah had in store for them. Sitting across from them and gauging from their closed expressions, Sarah knew that she had to deliver her propositions carefully. Making sure that she sat straight and tall and checking to see that she had their attention, she began to speak.  
  
First, she apologized of being so childish in the past and has become enlightened in more ways than one and that change is in order. She explained why her reluctance in respecting Karen was due to the lack of civilized conversation (that didn't revolve around Toby or her acting) and was willing to get to know her starting with helping her redecoration and deciding over the plans for remodeling some of the house. Sensing that this was reasonable, Karen nodded at this explanation and solution and gave Sarah a small smile to continue. In the year that Karen had been married to Sarah's father, Sarah had shown no interest in her business as an interior decorator, this attempt to get to know each other was a good step.  
  
Noting Karen's smile, Sarah mentally ran down the list in her head and put a small check mark down next to "House".  
  
Next, Sarah insisted that they allow her to keep a schedule so she can go and learn other things. Another contribution to her "whining" was due to boredom. They rarely let her out of the house and when they did, it was only long enough to run to the park. So she gave them a proposition. She would watch Toby every Saturday evenings and help with the chores with no complaints, if she could start taking some lessons or classes of her choice. Quickly she added that this would look better on her college application if there were some extra curricular activities, giving them a winning smile. Amaized by her grownup approach and reasoning, Dad and Karen also agreed.  
  
Check. Two down, now just a few more to go-  
  
"Speaking of college," Sarah continued in her most serious voice and leaning in a bit closer to the two members of her family sitting before her. "I am going to need a tutor. Two in fact." Before they could ask her why she needed two instructors and object to the idea, Sarah continued firmly. "Two tutors.  
One to augment my studies and the second one for acting."  
  
"Now," she hurried to explain, "You know that my grades are average and a tutor would help in raising them and make me marketable. Everything I ask is an investment in my future and it's not like money's a problem," she waved with her hand. "I am well aware that you do not wish me to be an actress like my mother. And quite frankly, let me tell you that I don't. It just seemed like it but really, did you ever ask me if that's what I really wanted to do? A private acting coach will help me master my expressions so it won't be so easy to read me like a book. You always said yourself, Dad, that this is still a man's world and I've got a lot to do if I want to do well in it. This tutor is necessary. Lessons could be held here at the house instead of me wasting time hoping to get some notice and tutelage by those in the school. I've observed that the whole year is spent on one or two productions and that you read the same lines and act the same way everyday. Private lessons will allow us to work on techniques and many things that will help me deliver myself in the right capacity."  
  
"I don't know about this, Sarah, but this seems a bit much," said Mr. Williams with a frown. "Maybe we'll start some of the things but not all.".  
  
"But Dad," Sarah came back with a rebuttal. "But Dad, look-I already have a tentative schedule" as she withdrew from her pocket the proposition she worked all night over and had fine tuned it over by doing research on the internet. She handed the schedule over to her father with a flourish. It's going to take a while to get all her theatrics out of her system, Sarah noted.  
  
Mr. Williams was very impressed. Never has he seen his daughter so organized, so down to earth! Looking to his wife, he chuckled to note that she was sporting a perplexed expression. He could tell that she was pleased but was definitely trying to figure out how this came about. Ah, that is why he is the lawyer and she the decorator. She pays attention to detail, he as a lawyer does too but pieces it all together to get the big picture. And the big picture was this: His little girl was finally growing up and making a point to become less than average. He was getting worried for a bit there, she was making him sweat a little with her showing no real initiative by the time she was a Junior in high school. Mr. Williams relaxed. Sarah is finally living up to her family name: Williams after apparently finding (by the evidence of her proposition and delivery)  
both her Will and her Way. Well then, let her be off to the races.  
  
Sarah was holding her breath. She was confident that they would say "yes" but there is always that small possibility...  
  
"We'll check with both the potential tutors and organizations you listed that you want to take your lessons from, first. But, other than that, I don't see any reasons why you shouldn't based on the reasons you gave. However, if your grades drop lower than what it is presently or you don't hold up your end of the bargain by not sitting for Toby or doing some chores around the house, then our agreement is null and void," sternly stated Mr. Williams.  
  
"Agreed, Dad. I promise" Sarah solemnly vowed.  
  
Check, check. All accounted for, Sarah thought with a smile as she ran upstairs to finish getting ready for school. After all, she was a daughter to a lawyer and an actress and stepdaughter to a marketer who is quite fond of nicely wrapped packages.  
  
Sarah's Dad walked away from this little tete-a-tete, he shook his head in wonder. When did this all come about? It's a positive change but the only thing bothering him was the only part of her argument that had a hole. Sure, she said that she didn't want to become an actress but what exactly did she want to do with her life? She never said. Oh well, he'll just have to ask her later but now he had better get to work. He has a new client coming in that promised a big recognition on behalf of the firm in they won the case. 


	3. Defense

DISCLAIMER: I ow nothing from Jim Henson's Labyrinth. All other characters and story line are my own. 

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I want to send a heartfelt thanks to those that have reviewed. And, even to those that don't, because even for me, it takes a great premise and story to get me to leave a review although I'm working on it! Just because we don't leave a contribution doesn't mean we don't necessarily dislike it. At least us writers try, you know? Hope you're entertained (this is my first fanfic by the way), now on with the show-

* * *

**Defending against the enemy**

It had been several months since that rainy Fall night when she had wished her baby brother away to the goblins. And it was also several months (minus two weeks) since she met with her dad and stepmother to persuade them to finance her personal "well roundedness". Much has changed since then and Sarah had utilized her time wisely and fully dedicated herself to her self-imposed regime.

Knowing what was at stake, she thrust herself into all her activities with such zest and vigor; her parents were certain this was a good thing for her. Her grades drastically improved to the shock of her teachers, and the delight of her tutor. So much so that they thought they discovered a late-blooming, but gifted student. Sarah had even decided to enroll in the max number of classes in summer school in order to graduate that much sooner. That wouldn't have been possible if not for her prior enrollment in the after school acting program (which was, of course, before the Labyrinth). Combine that and the extra classes she decided to take this summer, that gave her the extra credits she needed. As of right now, she was slated to graduate high school in the winter.

The renovations of the house were almost complete and will be finished sometime before Christmas. Because of Karen's connections, she was able to get the job done much quicker than normal and the place was looking great, thanks to Sarah's ideas. Usually Karen spent days or weeks considering a look and discussing possible sketches with clients, but the ideas Sarah proposed were a good match. Karen had wanted to renovate the house as soon as she moved in but could never get the look just right to match the New England tone and sophistication. And now, before her were the sketches done in Sarah's hand that was nearly identical to the house they lived in. Needless to say, she was impressed.

Their house was situated on a corner of a relatively busy street, but originally had no fence surrounding their property. Merlin was getting on in years so it was more important to enclose the area as his eyesight was getting worst and the family was afraid of him getting run over by accident. Instead of the white picket fence that so many Americans fawn over, Sarah had proposed an intricate wrought iron fence with details of ivy and various other types of greenery. The balcony in the Master bedroom and front porch was also to sport the new look but of a more simpler design. To compliment not over exenterate the fence.

To Sarah, the installations of the ironworks were pivotal in her plan. Brainstorming on the possible options, it was not hard for her to come up with a solution. Recalling a picture in her American History textbook, she had quickly done a sketch of their home and added the New Orleanian accents. Bringing both the sketch and book down to Karen in her home office, Sarah submitted her opinions of how the house should look. She then argued that it was sophisticated and that many of the tasteful, rich people often borrow looks from old houses. The ironworks would give their home a more stately appearance. Karen, remembering a walking tour she took of the "up" side of New Orleans a few years ago had to agree with Sarah's assessment. In fact, she was quite delighted and quickly set off to work.

Happy for her small victory, she chanted part of a poem she had found while researching for any information that might help her defeat Jareth:

"_Silver for the Werewolves, Iron for the Fae,_

_Garlic for the Vampires to keep them all at bay…"_

Knowing nothing is what it seems and vividly remembering a certain fairy bite, Sarah found out very early into her research that everyone knows that fairies don't grant wishes.

In the small possibility she'd have to face Jareth on a horse, or have to journey to him on one, Sarah opted to take riding lessons. Lessons were every Wednesday after class on the Drummeller family estate and loved it. It wasn't a far walk to from school and the workers there were kind and open to her questions and guidance. Personally, Sarah has never met the Drummeller family in the few months she has been a student, but she had heard that they were often busy traveling the world. Since they owned so many horses and had space to spare, they had thought to open an equestrian facility to help augment the cost of their travels and have someone care for their horses while they were away. It didn't hurt to also have able people available to watch the house while they were gone. A monthly fee was the cost for the room, board, shelter and exercising of a horse and many of the town's citizens took advantage of the deal. Liking the camaraderie that she has established with both horses and workers, Sarah could usually be found helping out in the stables on Sundays.

A glutton for punishment, Sarah had started running in the early mornings-hours before school started. She wanted to be in some semblance of fitness before her martial arts classes she signed up for began. After her run and shower, she would then meet up with Jamal for her "acting" tutorial. Originally, she had met with an acting tutor, Harry Alexander, but after a while, she didn't think anything he had to teach would help her very much. Blond hair and blue eyes, he unfortunately reminded her of a certain Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, known in the second book of the Harry Potter series. Knowing it was going nowhere and fast, Sarah was considering dropping the idea entirely. That was until she was passing the New Age shop in downtown on her way to babysit her brother when she accidentally bumped into Jamal as he was walking out of the store.

"Sorry," Sarah had apologized distractedly as she was still contemplating the need for an acting coach in her plans.

"It happens when you're distracted like that," the old man replied, eyeing her thoughtfully. Surprised, Sarah's eyes flew into focus to look at the man before her.

"It's written all over your face, you know," he stated as if stating a fact-which in fact he was.

Sarah immediately groaned out loud and muttered, "That's the whole problem."

Intrigued, the man cocked his head to the side and asked her, "How so?"

Caught off guard by the question and his sudden interest, Sarah decided to humor him. She explained to him her frustrations over her current acting tutor and how she was considering focusing her energies elsewhere. When she was finished, the man regarded her silently and quietly asked, "What is your name?"

Thinking it a little odd and definitely thinking it was time to make an exit, she hesitantly but guardedly stated, "Sarah, Sarah Williams." And she turned to leave.

"Ah," the man commented, "A lady with the desire to protect." Defining her birth and surnames. "Clearly, you're are in need of a teacher." Sarah turned around, astonished.

Conjuring a card out of nowhere, he handed it to Sarah. "My name is Jamal," he introduced himself. "I will be willing to teach you some of the skills you seek to aid you in your journey. Have your parents call me so I may dispel any of their concerns." Turning to walk away he murmured encouragingly, "And, I believe you have to be somewhere?"

With a flash of remembrance, Sarah bolted towards her house. Toby! Good thing she had taken to running in the mornings or she would have never had the endurance to make up for the lost time. Besides, if anything could make her run faster was the demon of an idea that her parent would pull a stop of all of her activities for not arriving on time.

Through this whole exchange, the two of the three sisters who owned the New Age store looked to each other and nodded their heads in agreement as if they expected what had just transpired in front of their store. A little lost, the third of the sisters looked from one to another and said, "I thought that he doesn't teach anymore…" but she trailed off as she bewilderingly saw that her sisters weren't going to divulge any information. Grumpily going to the Jar of Answers at the back of the store, the youngest of the three plunged her hand inside. Feeling among the masses, Fate felt around the slips that were insistent on being withdrawn from the jar and passed those that were dead words. Slowly she withdrew one slip of paper that was modestly concealing its message. Encouraging it to open, the little note complied and revealed the words on its belly:

"_When the student is ready, the teacher will appear_"


	4. Intermission

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing from Jim Henson's Labyrinth. All other characters and story line are my own

AUTHOR'S NOTE: A great big thanks goes out to all those who've read. Sorry for the delay, I had wanted this whole thing completed by Oct. 1st, but you know how all great plans are always laid aside when life happens. What's worst is that I know how everybody hates waiting for the next chapter and what's more is that I know exactly how everything is going to go! I just need to get it all down. FYI, it's a short chapter. But I digress, so I'll shut up now and continue with my tale.

* * *

Nothing could've prepared Sarah for the demand of the body, mind and soul that began as soon as school let out on Christmas break. But she endured without complaint under the stern guidance and silent approval of Jamal. Jamal found her to be a willing student, bright but calculating all the while which confirmed his suspicions that something larger was afoot. Since "when" is so fickle in deciding time of the unfurling in one's life, he taught her as much as she would give him leave.

Thanks to the long winter break, Sarah ate, slept and breathed Jamal's teachings with the daily respite of going over to the Drummeller estate to ride Catwalk and help out with the other horses. Often times, she would brush down Catwalk and tell him of her lessons and uncertainties of what lay ahead.

After Jamal spoke with her parents (and her father did some asking around in the government world to make sure he had no criminal record) in regard to her training, they decided to wait until school was out since semester finals was so close.

The day before the New Year was cold, brisk and lifeless. Living in a well to do neighborhood meant that you hardly ever saw anybody around during the holidays. Many were off to their southern villas or having parties at other people's abode as to not "dirty" their expensive homes.

Silently, Sarah waited on the sidewalk, waiting for Jamal. Her body had become lithe and lean over a short period due to her prior exercise regime and the daily lessons of Jamal.

At the moment, Sarah's body was tense, her long locks whipping about in the wind like a banner. Underneath her winter jacket, she trembled a little. She knew she wasn't ready for any type of confrontation with the Goblin King, but she couldn't shake the feeling that something was about to happen.

Jamal soon rounded the corner to meet Sarah at their designated location. Without a word, he walked up to his pupil and motioned for her to follow his lead. On purpose, he didn't tell her why their training was suspended for the day as he didn't want Sarah to think too much as it would defeat the purpose and process of selection. Although it would be a hurried move, he thought it time for Sarah to select a Weapon of Choice.


End file.
